Early Nagamaki Tsuba
TS0447
SOLD
A rare and important example of a nagamaki tsuba dating from 1500. Lacquer over an iron core, with a silver fukurin. Large lead filled namako hitsuana. 7.33 cm x 6.93 cm x 5.2 mm. Japanese lead is very unstable, and when it gets wet, leaches arsenic. So the tsuba was likely lacquered to stabilize that. As per Robert. Haynes. I had mistakenly taken this for an earlier tachi tsuba, but those are much thinner. Live and learn, and thus a changed price.
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